


Euphoria

by Em_i_a



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 03:33:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Em_i_a/pseuds/Em_i_a
Summary: Mavis Haloma is the outcast of Hawkins High, with a sheer hatred towards the King of the school, Steve Harrington.





	1. Atmosphere

Mavis Haloma wasn't one to stay out late on a school night, but seeing as though she had the beauty of balancing a job and a long trek home it was complicated not to get back late sometimes. She knew her mother, Elenor, was probably waiting at the door for her arrival, or maybe, by this time, she was calling her daughters friends to see if she had made a quick stop to see one of them, which was something she would rarely do. Thinking about this made Mavis pedal faster on her old, rusty, bike that was in need of a desperate tune-up.  
  
Through the silent darkness of the night, the chain beside her wheels clicked and chattered, squeaking at the pressure of the quick rotations, the sound bouncing down the street like a rapid force. The streetlights above her head passed by her at a brisk speed, giving her enough visibility for a brief time, before leaving, one after another.  
  
The cool fall wind blew through her black ultra-teased hair that had naturally stood on point from all the product that she had doused her locks in. A small shiver rushed up her spine, her pale bare legs growing cold as she continued to travel towards her final destination, the bike coasting her down the street like her own personal, two-wheeled race car, completely open to the freezing temperatures.  
  
Her mind was racing, stressed from the night of chaos that had occurred at work, and completely unmotivated to go to school in the next few hours. The word school made her stomach twist in knots, it felt as if someone shoved their hands into her and began kneading her insides together. She hated school, but she hated the people there much more, with a selected, depending on how she was feeling that day. Hawkins High School was hell on Earth to her and she was one of its prisoners.  
  
She made a sharp turn down her street, ringing her bell at the meek Will Byers, who gave her a shy wave, with a timid smile on his lips. He carried himself like his brother, and Mavis had pointed that out to Jonathan every time she would see them together, which was almost every morning at 7:34 on the dot.  
  
The outside porch light was glowing dimly when she had turned into her driveway, from the window she could see her mother sitting on their brown, aged sofa that had been worn out from the years of use. Elenor's eyes were glued to the reruns of Dallas, and there was no sign of pacing which was a general relief from some minor stress in Mavis' mind. A sigh escaped from her merlot coloured lips, as she dropped her bike in front of the wooden steps, fixing her bag, adjusting it over her scrawny shoulder, her thick-bottomed creepers trudging up the stairs, booming through the hollow wood beneath her feet. She dug around in her large pocket, searching for her keys to the house, the material of her jacket rubbing along the top of her hand. as she opened the screen door with her other, holding it open with her back. Finally, she retrieved the golden, chipped key, unlocking the door quickly, pushing her way through, into the warm, cozy, two-levelled house, her hair falling in front of her dark, basil pupils.  
  
Instantly, her mother stood up from her seat, standing at a straight 4'11, her pale blue eyes studying her daughter. Mavis had seen that look several times, it was the look every parent gives their child when they have worried them, it's the look that comes after their child comes home later than their curfew after they have told them several times that they didn't like them being out so late. A strained smile appeared on her lips, a 'you got me' look painted on her face like she had been caught stealing cookies out of the cookie jar, guilt bubbling in her stomach.  
  
"Mavis...Do you know what time it is?" Her mother interrogated, turning Dallas off with the remote control she had been gripping in her hand. Mavis' eyes glanced over at the clock that laid atop of the television, noticing it's florescent green numbers standing at the time of 10:51 pm. She dropped her bag down onto the glossy oak floor, keeping her eyes locked on her mothers.  
  
"I know it's late, but I was busy, I got a little caught up with counting the tills and closing down the arcade. I didn't mean to come home so late without calling before leaving, I just forgot, that's all." She replied, watching her mothers stern face soften, but not enough to ensure Mavis would escape a late-night lecture.  
  
"Honey, as much as I enjoy watching you make your own money and providing for yourself, you have to know that you're not responsible for the things managers should be taking care of. Counting the tills is not your job, your job is to help the customers. This is only a part-time job remember?" Mavis nodded, having a seat on the maroon recliner that stood out from the rest of the furniture in the house, sitting on the edge of the leather fabric.  
  
"It was just this once mom, Keith had to go home, he had an emergency or something. I promise that it won't happen again." Her mother returned to the spot on the couch, pushing her ginger hair away from her freckle splattered cheeks, thinking about what she was going to say next. She was more worried about Mavis going missing, she had watched the news often, all the stories about girls being picked up by strange men at night, then their bodies were found several months, maybe even years later. No parent wanted that to happen to their own child, and Elenor was not going to let that happen to Mavis.  
  
"Okay...But next time please call, don't forget like you usually do. Your father always did that." Her mother saw so many similarities between Mavis and her late husband Julian, she was her father's daughter that was for sure, and she was proud to be compared to him, and Elenor was happy about that. Silence encompassed the house as she added: "I left you some chicken pot pie, and those special potatoes and peas that you like in the fridge, they're on the bottom shelf." She got up from the couch, putting her quilted blanket over her shoulders, shuffling over to her seated daughter, placing her small palm on Mavis' cheek, placing a light kiss on her forehead.  
  
"Don't stay up too late okay?" She nodded, feeling her mother's hand leaving her face, her eyes locked on her as she moved down the hallway, entering her bedroom, closing the door behind her leaving Mavis to have some time to herself, even though she had been alone for the last hour of work.  
  
She slid her shoes off, moving them over, away from the doorway, ridding herself of her baggy black windbreaker that went down to her knees, hanging it up, a soft yawn flowing out into the air. She wasn't tired, far from it, she was mostly exhausted from work, and drained from not eating all day. Some leftovers would cure that hunger though, she knew that for a fact.  
  
Mavis dragged herself towards the kitchen, opening the large, off white fridge the bright light illuminating the dark, unlit room, the cold air hitting her legs instantly. Her eyes lurked around at the contents; mayo, ketchup, mustard, the chicken pot pie and potatoes, milk, olives, butter and cream cheese, the whole works. She didn't want to have a whole meal before going to bed, but her hunger was definitely something that needed to be fed. She pulled out some raspberry jam, placing it on the counter, deciding to pack the leftovers for lunch instead, settling on a classic, and thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which she would make after a rough school day.  
  
The young girl was definitely not one to stress eat, but she did find comfort in food. Mavis was not a chunky girl, she was a bag of bones, or on the cusp of being one, but that never hindered her appetite, her father would say that it was her body telling her that she needed sustenance, but the hunger had never come to any type of standstill since she was ten.  
  
She plucked two pieces of toast bread from the stainless steel holder, taking out a butterknife, placing it alongside the rest of the contents, sliding her fishnet sleeves off her arms, leaving her in her black short-sleeved button-up and her matching skirt that hung just above her knees, almost in the shape of an umbrella, framing her dainty feminine figure. She placed the removable sleeves on top of the fridge, proceeding to make herself a fully packed, crustless, and messy peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  
  
Once she was done creating her Frankenstein sandwich, she moved towards the living room, a plate cradling the snack, taking a seat in the center of the couch, her eyesight lined up directly with the television, her free hand reaching for the remote, a picture appearing on the screen with one push of a button. She immediately changed it to the eleven o'clock news, before taking a large, monstrous bite, a clump of peanut butter and jelly falling onto the plate, splattering on the white porcelain with the dark purple sludge. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her fingertips, looking down at her foggy green coloured gem that hung on the thick chain that was wrapped around her neck loosely.  
  
With her free hand she brought it up to her eyes staring at the mist, watching it dance around in its glass encasement, the movements similar to a hot lava lamp. Mavis slowly turned it upside down, wrapping her hand around the gem gently, as if she was giving it a hug with her palm, before letting it drop back down against her shirt, going back to finishing her sandwich, keeping her eyes glued to the television, watching the latest tragedy unfold across the screen. Mavis felt sympathy for the people that were going through these tough situations; robberies, fires, deaths, the whole nine yards. She didn't enjoy the helplessness she felt when seeing all these people in pain, because she knew what it was like to lose someone, every story was like a punch to the gut for her, but for some reason she always found herself coming back for more.  
  
11:30 rolled by and like clockwork the weather woman appeared on the screen, her soft voice speaking about how the temperature is going to drop, and it will be looking and feeling more like fall weather, she pointed towards her screen behind her, circling the map with her finger then pushing lines across it, signalling that there would start to be some chilly winds passing by Hawkins by mid-day tomorrow. Mavis took the last bite of her sandwich, reaching beside her and turning off the television with a quick push of a button, before returning to the kitchen, rinsing her plate off with warm water, running the yellow and green sponge over the glass a few times, drenching it once more, putting it into the dish rack. She dried her hands with a washcloth, hanging it up on the oven handle so the dampness would be gone by the morning.  
  
The floor creaked beneath her as she retrieved her backpack from the living room, grabbing a cup of water before making her way downstairs to her basement bedroom, which could've resembled an apartment if someone laid eyes on it without prior knowledge. She turned on her light, the dim yellow glow encompassing the room. Her unmade bed was placed in the middle of the room, surrounded by a bookshelf, one hanging above her head, and two on both sides of the mattress. Rock posters were scattered along her oxford blue walls; Siouxsie Sioux and The Banshees, Joy Division, The Clash, David Bowie, Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, all the classics. Off to the other side of the room was her work area, more bookshelves surrounded her father's desk that he had used before she decided to call it her own. It was a glossy mahogany colour, with four large drawers. Atop the desk were several notebooks with notes scribbled on the pages, some didn't make sense, and others were just passing thoughts. A calendar hung in front of her with all the important dates she needed to know for school, and it doubled as a lunar one as well, which was a large plus for her.  
  
Beside the desk was her turntable, which stood on top of the wide-scale shelves that held her records. She was absolutely enamoured by music shops, and with every chance, and every paycheck she had, she would reward herself with a new vinyl for her listening enjoyment. A pair of headphones hung on a hook that she had screwed into the shelving unit, a long phone cord attached to them, giving her full freedom of movement along her room.  
  
She dropped her bag onto her office chair, removing the box of hair dye that she had purchased at the local drugstore, placing it beside her textbooks which consisted of; Math, Biology, and History. A yawn escaped her mouth, as she made her way towards her ensuite, pushing open the door until the handle hit the wall, turning on the bright white light, which dimmed out within twenty seconds. Her eyes adjusted to the luminosity, her hand reaching out to retrieve a facecloth from the metal rack.

Finally, her sight rested on the reflection in the mirror, observing the makeup that she had worked so hard on for the day, noticing that the eyeshadow and eyeliner were almost fading off her skin. A shrill of disappointment brewed in her stomach as she soaked her cloth in makeup remover and water, dragging the rough material across her face, scraping the thick foundation and setting powder off her cheeks, rubbing the black shadow and ink off her eyes. Her natural pale tone began to appear from beneath the facade she had painted on her face every day, her chapped pink lips fading into view as she removed her lipstick.

Mavis stared at herself in the mirror, hating what she was looking at. The self-loathing came naturally to her. Without the makeup, she wasn't truly herself, and she couldn't stand seeing the sight in front of her. A pit formed in her stomach, deciding to leave the bathroom, not being able to continue to look at something like that. She returned to her bedroom, shuffling over to her sound system, placing her headphones over her ears, putting Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures onto her turntable.

The trebly sound of Disorder blared into her ears, as she reached over, retrieving her journal and pen out of the pile of notebooks she had scattered along the desk. She threw both of them onto her stiff mattress, quickly changing out of her day clothes, replacing it with a baggy t-shirt and shorts, before slipping under her covers, opening up her journal to the last page she had been writing on. Mavis used this as self-medicated therapy, she felt that if she wrote down her thoughts throughout the day she would be able to start coping slowly with her budding feelings that seemed to overcomplicate things during normal everyday activities, and it would also help her explore these thoughts more deeply.

Mavis was a complicated young lady, on the outside, she was a shy individual who had the desire to keep to herself. On the inside there was a darkness, a black hole that seemed to eat everything up in its path, she had always been frightened of the reoccurring feeling that she would lose control of herself one day. The depression that was brought along when she had lost her father was the largest thing that caused the huge change, even though his spirit had lived on, she didn't want to be constantly reminded of the horrific night she passed away so abruptly. Her life had revolved around death in general though, and it was too hard to avoid the reminders that had surrounded her.

Her branded hand moved across the paper as she wrote down all the passing things she had heard throughout the day, one main item coming from the rumour mill which had blasted across the arcade the entire day, Keith had brought it to her attention several times as well. It was the fact that Nancy Wheeler had been seen around town with Steve Harrington, the douche bag of Hawkins High.

Mavis was not one to hate someone, her father had taught her better than that, but if she had to choose to remove someone out of existence, she would choose Steve "The Hair" Harrington. There was an unexplainable issue between them, and even when it seemed like it had died down Steve would always end up saying something on purpose to remind her that he was an absolute asshole.

When Nancy had taken a liking to Steve, Mavis was not the first one to know, Barbara Holland was, Nancy had given her instructions to not tell their other friend, knowing what her reaction would be, but unfortunately Nancy's harmless plan was foiled when Mavis overheard some rumours about her and confronted her about it. She didn't know what to say, but she knew that the truth was going to come out anyway. Both Barb and Mavis had the same thought in her head though, it wouldn't last, and even though that was a thought Barb tried to be supportive, unlike her other friend who made the decision to avoid any contact with Steve.  
  
Days passed quickly and Mavis had made the observation that the relationship was going to last longer than expected, and that, in turn, changed the dynamic of the three girls, putting a strain on the bond that they had formed together. Barb had to choose between her friend who was constantly in protest of her other friend's happiness or the girl that just wanted to have a well-functioning relationship without hurting anyone.

During her writing spree, Mavis had managed to fall asleep, catching a record-breaking five hours of sleep, which was great for a night that was full of anger and stress. Her alarm clock rang throughout her room, as she fell off her bed, crawling over to the snooze button, turning off the blaring noise. 6:31 glowed on the screen. She had enough time to get herself ready for the school day, which was a relief, some days she wasn't able to get through her morning routine without being late.

A shiver ran up her spine, the air drying out, becoming cold suddenly, she shook it off, rolling her shoulders, she wrapped her hand around her necklace, her thumb running across the glass, the calmness of the room returning slowly, her body returning to the relaxed state. Something like that hadn't happened to her for a while, usually, it was just a gut feeling, but this felt different for some odd reason. The occurrence left her unsettled, as she cracked her back, shaking off the cold tingle that lingered at the bottom of her spine. She got up from her stiff bed, moving towards her dresser, pulling out her outfit for the day so she wasn't rummaging around and wasting time once she got out of the shower. She retrieved a loose striped shirt, with high waisted black jeans, hanging them over her arm, shuffling towards her bathroom, turning on the light, placing the clothes onto the counter.

Mavis removed her shirt, discarding it into her laundry basket, her shorts sliding down her long pale legs that almost looked like twigs. She caught herself in the mirror, her dark green eyes roaming over the reflection that stood in front of her. Her barely clothed body looked grey under the harsh lighting, she could've been compared to a corpse with a heartbeat. She relished in the feeling, but she knew other people thought that she was a sight for sore eyes. The tips of her cold fingers trailed down her stomach, her hands almost wrapping around her protruding hips, before removing her undergarments. She avoided her naked reflection, turning on the shower, stepping in without even checking the temperature, the cold droplets of water sliding down her spine, the pellets turning warmer as time went on. Her teased hair became limp, framing her face as she bowed her head, the water flowing down the center of her chest, her hand splaying out over the tiles on the wall, which were speckled with black hair dye. They were cool to the touch, but slowly warmed beneath her fingertips, she curled them, along with her toes, a shiver of air blowing across her spine.

The bright white light turned down quickly, almost turning the entire room black, as if the power had gone out, Mavis tilted her head up, her brows furrowing, watching the lustre change, her thoughts began to race, the assumptions of a power surge automatically being phased out judging by the frantic flickering. Her sight moved around, looking through the frosted glass of the enclosed shower, the speed increasing, faster and faster, her heart began to race, and she felt as if she was going crazy. She heard an altered voice screaming for help, it sounded familiar but it was so hard to make out the tone that she couldn't put a name to it, the cries for aid were followed by the horrific, blood curdling begging for something or someone to stop. Mavis covered her ears, focusing on ignoring the voices that continued to build up, different tones and volumes echoing through her mind.

"MOM!" She screamed, trying to drown out the sounds that seemed to be driving her crazy by the minute. "MOM!" She repeated, crouching down as the light began strobing like the laser pointers at a nightclub. She sat on the floor of the tub, her knees pressed up against her chest, the screaming not ceasing or lowering, only growing louder and louder, bouncing off the walls of her mind.

"FOR GOD SAKE MOM! HELP!" She begged, her ears ringing from the chaotic noise, tears streaming down her face. The quick-paced footsteps of Eleanor finally emerged from the screams, seconds later the door jolted open, the shadow of her mother being seen through the frosted glass.

"Oh my god, Mavis! What's going on?!" She exclaimed, pushing the barrier out of the way, seeing her daughter curled up in such a vulnerable state. Her mother reached out, forcing Mavis to look at her, feeling her body twitch and shake, as if she was having a seizure. "Honey look at me." She added, pushing the black, dripping wet strands of hair away from her eyes, which were bloodshot. Her daughter continued to shake her head, her hands still covering her ears, still trying to drown out the screams.  
  
"The screaming...The voices. I can't make them stop! They won't stop!" The light stopped flickering suddenly before it began to glow brighter, it was as if the sun was shining in the room, the both of them closing their eyes, until a loud and abrupt pop echoed through the bathroom, the screams and voices ceasing in Mavis' mind. She let out a stifled cry, her mothers embrace wrapping around her.  
  
"No..." She whimpered into her mother's t-shirt, Elenor's chin resting on top of her head, dragging her hand down the back of her daughter's neck, hushing her, a feeling of fear bustling in her stomach, her chest tightening from her nerves. She knew she had to stay strong for her daughter, but she couldn't comprehend what was going on, the only thing she knew was her daughter was scared, and it was terrifying to see her in that state.


	2. The Passion of Lovers

After the incident Elenor decided to stay in the washroom with her daughter until she finished washing up. She told Mavis that she could take a day off, to stay home and sort herself out, not wanting something like this to happen at school. She knew her child didn't fit in with the rest of the students, and it wasn't just because of her 'capabilities', it was for the sheer fact that she chose that course of action. If an attack like this happened during one of her classes, god only knows what the kids would do to her. She didn't accept the offer. Even though Mavis had a sheer hatred for school she just wanted to move on like she usually did, the situation was stuck in her head, no doubt the thoughts wouldn't go away, and would be buried in her mind all day, but she had to act like nothing occurred, which wasn't going to be a problem for her. Mavis was used to moving on from such abrupt things, even when it left her with so many questions.  
  
Once she turned off the water, her mother made her way out of the bathroom immediately, closing the door behind her with an accidental slam, causing a a jolt to shudder throughout Mavis' body, her heart racing, beating out of her chest. She stay cooped up in the tub for a few moments until she composed herself, slipping out from behind the frosted glass, grabbing the rough white towel off the rack, stepping out of the shower completely, water droplets dripping off of her body, some of them a light pink colour, due to the dilution of her blood which was flowing down from the center of her chest, hitting the stark white floor over and over again. She trudged over to the mirror noticing a dark red splotch on the towel, ignoring it briefly as she searched for some large bandages that would cover up the wound until it dried out, and to keep it from seeping through her shirt during school.  
  
Mavis had done this plenty of times before, when unnatural things happened to her she usually bled from the wound in the center of her chest, it was an unexplainable thing, and she just chose to accept it. She wasn't born with these 'wounds' though. Her fathers side made it a celebration when she got her 'family heirlooms' one morning. Mavis remembered the pain like it was yesterday. The burning searing feeling of someone cutting into her flesh even though nobody was doing such a thing. She had woken up in a pool of blood that morning, and for a twelve year old who didn't know any better she thought she was dying. Elenor had been waiting for the day to happen, and Julian warned her that it wouldn't be a pleasant sight, he had seen his sister get hers and there had been weeks of pain, he had wished that it would be easier for Mavis, but it turned out that it wouldn't be.  
  
Finally she had found a roll of gauze and medical tape beneath the sink, in the cupboard where she had kept her; toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, makeup bag, and her array of black hair dyes, they weren't in different shades, they were just from different companies. She placed the gauze onto the counter with the stark white tape standing beside it, as she stood back up, avoiding the reflection in the mirror like always, getting straight to bandaging herself up. It only took three to four minutes, which wasn't too shocking since she had done this type of thing multiple times back when she was a little younger than she was now. The end result was a large patch of white in the middle of her chest, ending just below her sternum, taped on each corner of the gauze, doubled up so it would be secure for most of the school day.  
  
When she was done she made her way out of the washroom to retrieve a fresh set of undergarments, drying herself off completely before slipping the black bra and matching underwear on, checking her alarm clock, seeing that it was 7:01, which left her with less time than usual to do her complete routine. She let out a soft groan, rushing back to the ensuite, pulling on her baggy striped shirt, which hung loosely on her frame, and slid off her shoulders, exposing her bra straps and her collarbones. Her hands made her way to the jeans soon after, unfolding them, putting herself into them quickly, the fabric instantly hugging her thin legs, while she shoved her shirt into the waist, buttoning the jeans up swiftly, doing a hurried layer of makeup so she wouldn't have to go to school completely bare. Her makeup brush danced lightly across her cheeks, instantly covering her dark brown, almost black freckles that were scattered across her face, in a circular motion she dragged the concealer over the surface area, until she was okay with the way it looked. Soon came the dramatic eyeshadow and eyeliner, the dynamic duo. Mavis over worked it several times but the look was always right to her.  
  
She put away the makeup bag, fluffing her hair with an unused towel, deciding to skip teasing it, since it would look messy anyways, it was also the fact that sometimes her hair needed a break from all the product she dumped into it. Mavis exited the washroom, gathering her textbooks, and two notebooks which she shared for all her subjects. She rarely took notes though, the girl remembered things fairly easily, and not taking notes helped her test her memory and improve it, and even when she didn't recall the material she would just reread the lesson, which was something most of her classmates never did, at least that is what she noticed. Hastily she zipped her bag up, putting it over her shoulder as she took one last look around her room, making sure she wasn't missing anything, keys were in her back pocket, pens were in her side pocket of her bag along with her dark red lipstick, her wallet was in the front pocket of her bag, and of course she had her pack of Newports and her black lighter, something that she couldn't get through the day without.  
  
Her mother didn't like the fact that she had taken up smoking at fourteen, and she had tried several times to make her stop, but she had given up after the sixth or seventh attempt, knowing that it wasn't an easy habit to break, but Elenor also knew that her daughter would get the cigarettes one way or the other, she was sneaky sometimes, especially when it came to these types of things. However, Mavis didn't smoke as often as her mother thought, and she appreciated how much her mother cared, even though she would pry into things when she didn't have to.  
  
Elenor opened up the door to the basement, poking her head in, watching her daughter put her bag over her shoulder, making her way up the hollow stairs, she moved out of the way, letting Mavis come up to the main level, which was significantly more warmer than the cold, desolate bedroom that she had slept in. From behind her the door closed, hearing her mothers light footsteps following her into the kitchen.  
  
"I noticed you didn't eat the leftovers, so I took it as a sign to pack it into a container for you. It's in the fridge." Her mother spoke, pouring herself a steaming cup of fresh coffee, the strong caffeinated scent surrounding Mavis immediately, as she grabbed her lunch, wrapping it up in a plastic bag so nothing would spill onto her textbooks, letting the food mingle with the rest of her school items. She reached up, grabbing her fishnet sleeves, sliding them up her arms as her mother watched her, carefully observing her bony, pale wrists being covered by the net-like texture until both of them reached her shoulders, gazing at her necklace which was glowing a bright green, almost similar to how her eye colour was when Mavis was a young toddler. She took a sip of her hot coffee, turning away from her before she noticed that she was even looking.  
  
"Are you sure you want to go to school today? I don't mind if you stay home. I'll be at work all day anyways." Elenor asked, almost begging, hoping that she would rethink her decision.  
  
"Jonathan has probably left his house already, and there's no point of me not going to school either, I have a test that I need to do and I can't afford to miss it." Her mother glanced over at her, taking a loud slurp.  
  
"Who knew you were such a good student." Elenor joked, pushing Mavis' damp hair away from her face, a smile appearing on her pale pink lips, her icy fingertips grazing the skin on her cheek.  
  
"Very funny." She replied sarcastically, grabbing the last granola bar out of the box, unwrapping it, "I'll be fine though, and if something does happen at school I can handle it.”  
  
"Didn't seem like you were able to handle it forty minutes ago." Her mother shot back, as Mavis took a bite of the chewy snack, pulling it away from her mouth, almost angrily.  
  
"I wasn't expecting to be hearing voices in the shower at six forty five in the morning mom. I don't know about you, but I think my reaction was pretty justified." Her mother opened her mouth to say something, just before Jonathan's car horn echoed from outside, grabbing both of their attentions, dragging them out of the conversation they were having. Mavis was filled with relief, when she realized that he had saved her from getting into an early morning argument with her mother.  
  
"We'll continue this later." Her daughter took another bite of the granola bar, giving her a kiss on her cheek quickly, waltzing out of the kitchen, slipping her windbreaker on over her shoulders, holding the snack between her teeth, pulling her shoes on afterwards.  
  
"Love you mom!" She called out, leaving the house and locking the door. Mavis turned around, her eyes laying on Jonathan's 1972 Ford LTD, instantly noticing that his brother wasn't in the car. A pit grew in her stomach, a ball of nerves immediately building up, bile stinging her throat. It wasn't like Will to not be in the car, and she had seen him less than twenty four hours ago, and he looked fine, which weeded out the thought that he was sick. The news stories of those strange men stealing girls began to rerun in her mind, the what if's screaming throughout her ears, as she dragged herself towards the car, not changing her exterior expression of fake happiness. Mavis could feel the heat from the car as she opened the passenger door, taking up the free seat, placing her backpack on her lap as she buckled in her seatbelt.  
  
"Where's Will?" She asked, watching Jonathan grip the steering wheel, backing up out of the driveway, driving down the street, his eyes glued to the road. "Hey...Where. Is. Will." She repeated herself as if he didn't hear her the first time. The car came to a stand still at a red light, as his sight turned to Mavis, her brain instantly being struck with worry and guilt, the feelings seeping into her, coming straight from Jonathan. He was someone that usually felt this way, at least that is what she would always pick up on when they were near each other, but this felt different, and it looked different. Jonathan was as confused as her though, not having any knowledge of his younger brothers whereabouts.  
  
"I-I think he went to school early or something. He wasn't in his room when my mom went to wake him up. I'm sure he's fine." He reassured, the light turning green, causing the car to move forward, pushing the both of them against their seats.  
  
"Well did he come home last night?" She pressed.  
  
"I got home late, I had to cover a shift for Eric." The duo hit a speed bump, Mavis' stomach dropping to her feet for a brief second. She cracked the window, her nerves beginning to become almost too much for the teenage girl.  
  
"So you didn't think to check on him when you got home? The least you could've done is that. You're supposed to be watching him aren't you?" She asked, keeping herself composed enough so it didn't sound like she was giving him grief, veering on a friendly tone mostly. Jonathan took in a shaky breath, thinking about the scolding his mother had given him that morning as he was making breakfast, he had apologized so much, but during his ride to Mavis' house he couldn't help but think that if he was home last night maybe he would know that his brother came back from the Wheeler's house.  
  
"I know." He whispered under his breath, the guilt still boiling in both their stomach's, her hand dug around in her bag, pulling out her lipstick.  
  
"I'm sure he just went to school a little early. You know, maybe for AV or something." Jonathan nodded, trying to calm his mind. Mavis on the other hand was thinking about how Will looked last night, how he was acting. He seemed like the normal Will. He was also on his way home. There was no way he would run off, he wasn't that type of kid, he liked being in the company of his family, and even if he did have some on going issues he wouldn't run away from home. She took the cap off her lipstick, looking at the side mirror, running the matte makeup across her lips, making the top of them look sharp, the pale pink being removed, turning a dark cherry colour.  
  
They remained silent for the rest of the ride to school, the both of them listening to Jonathan's mixtape that he had created specifically for the drive to school, just to keep the both of them entertained if the conversation happened to halt. The air blew through her hair, messing it up even more, as she stared at the passing trees, just before the building of Hawkins High was able to be seen. Dread might've entered the car at that moment. The two outcasts shared a hatred for the place, and for the people, that was probably how they found their common ground, and kept their friendship throughout high school.  
  
Jonathan pulled into his designated parking spot, putting the car in park. He turned the engine off, silence overcoming the car, the both of them taking in a deep breath before exiting the enclosed space, fall leaves passing by their feet as they made their way towards the building.  
  
"Do you need a ride to the arcade after school?" He asked, holding the strap of his bag, walking side by side, keeping pace with Mavis. She shook her head, she liked the long trek from school to her work, the walk would also help her clear her head, something that she needed after finding out Will didn't come home last night. She didn't want to mention that she saw him on his bike, even though it might've helped her friend narrow down where he might be, there was also a chance that he was at school already, which wasn't that out of the ordinary, she could've sworn that she had missed a ride from Jonathan a few times because of him being such a dedicated student.  
  
"I'm okay, but call me tonight and update me on your brother. I don't want to be worrying all night." He nodded, a small smile forming on his lips as he waved goodbye to her, the both of them going their separate ways. Mavis entered the west entrance, looking at the bustling students who were pacing down the halls in groups of three or four. A few couples walked hand in hand, talking about their plans tonight, or how their weekend went, some of them kissing against their lockers, but not enough to get in trouble by the teachers who were walking down the hallways with their mugs of coffee in their hands. The hall smelt of stomach turning body odour and perfume, mixed with death, and lots of hair spray. Mavis recoiled at the scent, as she held her shoulder straps, briskly walking down the hall, bumping arms with people who weren't paying attention to where they were going, she felt like a ghost at Hawkins High, it was as if people could see through her, and not even realize that she was right there. In a quick glance, she spotted Barb opening her locker, taking out two textbooks, her large glasses pressed up against her face. Her short orange hair, curled slightly, putting her freckled, pale skin on display. She quickened her footsteps, until she reached her friends locker.  
  
"Hey there stranger. Fancy seeing you here." She greeted happily, watching Barb smile, her blue eyes glancing at the darkly dressed girl. "Where's the other musketeer?" Nancy had gotten a letter in her locker earlier that morning from Steve, telling her to meet him in the bathroom. Barb had been present for this, but she decided to act like she didn't know anything.  
  
"Don't know. Beats me...Did you study for that math test?" She rolled her eyes, pointing to her temples.  
  
"All up here. You know that Ms. Holland." Mavis mocked jokingly. The ginger looked down at her friend, eyebrows raised, nodding slowly.  
  
"I see. You're just going to wing it then?"  
  
"Pretty much. First I should go to the bathroom though, drain the good old bladder so I don't have to ruin my train of thought, y'know what I mean?" Barbara nodded, her mind instantly picturing Mavis walking in on Nancy and Steve. The chances were slim, but they were present, she didn't want to tell her not to go to a specific bathroom, even though she didn't know what washroom they were in. There wasn't a location on the note either, so Mavis was going to be the one taking the chance of walking in on the star crossed lovers. Barb waved at her friend, watching her walk away.  
  
The nearest washroom was just around the corner, and within it the passionate - yet secret- lovers were having a morning make out. Nancy had joined Steve a few minutes after she got the letter, knowing their usual meet up place. Love was in the air, or maybe it was just pure lust for one another, but with the sudden appearance of Mavis, the feeling had completely drained out of the room. The couple instantly separated, both of them looking at the pale female, her forest green eyes looking at them, but not truly seeing them. Steve seemed to be bothered by the interruption, Nancy on the other hand was filled with embarrassment, not only for being caught by Mavis, but for the awkward feeling that was brewing between the three of them.  
  
"Guess they left her cage open today." Steve muttered under his breath, Nancy’s elbow hitting his ribcage gently, signalling him to lay off. Just because she was his girlfriend didn’t mean that she would let him be rude to Mavis. The one and only thing Nancy truly wanted was for the both of them to get along, or tolerate each other at least, but they were wildly similar in the sense that they were both hardheaded. She couldn’t wrap her head around why they hated each other so much either, neither of them gave a reason, but she definitely knew it was a burning hate that escalated between the both of them without any explanation. Mavis walked by the both of them, waiting until she got to one of the stalls before saying anything.  
  
“Y’know Steve, you should really look into buying an ‘out of order’ sign to put on your forehead so everyone knows how fucking stupid you are.” Nancy’s jaw clenched slightly, her eyes rolling at the childish antics that they had resorted to.  
  
“Oh go to hell Mavis!” He exclaimed, as she backed up into the stall, a smirk plastered on her face as she enclosed herself in the rectangular space, locking the door.  
  
“I must already be in hell since you’re still standing here.” She retorted, having a seat on the porcelain throne. From outside the stall Nancy and Steve were arguing among themselves quietly, in breathy whispers so Mavis couldn’t hear them. It didn’t last though. Steve had a way of getting out of these situations, and he knew how to play the game. Suddenly they were making plans to ‘study’ tonight, leaving Mavis with disappointment, as she waited for the both of them to leave so she could wash her hands and make her way to class in peace. The bell rang, and there was a pang of silence, giving her the cue to flush and leave the dark stall. Once she opened the door she realized that Steve was still there, leaning on the wall in front of her escape.  
  
“Are you always this stupid Mavis, or are you making a special effort today?” She raised her eyebrows, turning on the tap, disappointed that she didn’t think to wait a few more minutes before she left the stall, just to ensure that he wouldn’t be in the bathroom anymore.  
  
“Well sometimes I have to talk like an idiot. How else would you be able to understand me?” He gave the short girl a fake smile.  
  
“You think you’re so funny huh?” Mavis turned off the taps, moving closer to him to dry her hands off with the rough, brown paper towel.  
  
“No. I just speak the truth.”  
  
“Well you should glue your mouth closed, cause nobody wants to hear your honesty.” He snapped. His eyes scanning the pale skinned girl, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Just listening to him made her lose brain cells, and if she stayed a minute longer in his presence she would be a vegetable by the time she reached the door.  
  
“Eat shit and live.” She retorted, throwing her paper towel into the garbage, before slamming arms with him, which drew him back briefly with the harsh contact she made. The girl promptly exited the washroom, leaving Steve by himself, holding the spot she had bumped into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's here y'all.


	3. I Don't Like Mondays

“Eat shit, and live?” Jonathan laughed, repeating what Mavis had said to Steve. It was lunch, and they had taken up their designated spots on top of the hood of his car, picking at their lunches. She had decided to tell her friend what had happened this morning before her test, and Jonathan was less than surprised about the encounter. He knew about the severe hatred Mavis had for the king of the school, and he completely understood her point of view, even though the deep-rooted anger they had towards each other was barely explained by his long time friend. The goth took a long drag from her cigarette, tapping the ashes off the end, watching the grey specks fall to the concrete below them.

"Yep. Eat shit and live." She joined in with the laughter briefly, thinking about the look on Steve's face when she had slammed shoulders with him before leaving the bathroom. She hoped she had hurt him, but it was a slim chance that she did, she wasn't built to physically fight or harm anyone around her, and she also wasn't prepared to do so either, even if it came down to it. She swung her legs back and forth wind gusting across the both of them as dried orange leaves dragged across the ground, the first signs of fall. 

"I don't understand what Nancy sees in him," Jonathan mumbled, taking a bite of his cold cut sandwich, his eyes darting around the parking lot, going over to a few people mingling in front of the bike racks, there were three sets of couples, the girls cuddling against their respective counterparts, laughing loudly with each other. He had always admired Nancy, he indeed had feelings for her, Mavis knew that for sure, yet he never got the courage to go up to her and say hello, or start a stream of conversation. He had plenty of chances though, thanks to the friendship the two girls shared, but he never took them, and probably never would. 

“Well, apparently Steve has it all. He has the looks, and that striking personality, he’s outgoing, and a jock, and he’s a year older than Nancy. He’s also the King of the school…There’s plenty of things that people say about Steve, but I wouldn’t agree with them. I can’t stand the fucker.” It was all of that, and the fact that the self-named King of the School needed a Queen, and she was in line for the throne, she was just the right fit for his overly relaxed personality. Apart from that, Mavis didn’t think that Nancy had the desire to be popular, she was too nice to fit in with Tommy H, and Carol. She had also chosen a friend group that she currently surrounded herself with, but Mavis couldn’t help but think of the various situations that would play out because of this newfound popularity. They had been friends for a while and she had the thought that Nancy was probably getting sick of her and Barbs smothering company, she just didn’t want to admit it to the both of them. 

Mavis took a long drag, her lungs burning from the inhalation of nicotine that slipped through her throat, the off-taste, burrowing itself onto her tongue, as she turned her head away from Jonathan so she didn’t blow the smoke into his face, or in his general direction. 

“You really believe Nancy is dating that airhead for the popularity?” He questioned, watching her place her thick boot onto the bumper of the car, tapping the ashes off the end of the cigarette lightly, his eyes glancing at the filter which was stained with her lipstick. Out of habit, she fidgeted with it, a light stream of smoke trailing from the grey ashes. 

“Unfortunately, I wouldn’t put it past her. High school is a popularity contest and we are at the bottom of the hierarchy, we’re the bottom feeders, the losers, and things like that don’t change until high school is done. She just wants to fit in, and this is her pass to do so.” Jonathan looked down at his lunch, his appetite instantly being lost within his thoughts. He hated the fact that there were these classifications in popularity, he didn’t mind being a bottom feeder, he didn’t care about it. He just wanted to get through it peacefully, with his life and his body semi-intact. High school was just a section of life, and it didn’t count in the long run to him. Mavis, on the other hand, didn’t care if she was in-tact or not, she didn’t care about much actually, except for her mother, and Jonathan, as well as Barb and Nancy. If something were to happen to them, or anyone connected to them she wouldn’t know what to do with herself.

“I didn’t think she was shallow like them.” He muttered under his breath, almost as if it was to himself, even though it was loud enough for Mavis to hear it. 

“She isn’t shallow, she just wants to fit in. It’s not shallowness, it’s the desire to have the taste of being known. The rumour mill has already started turning about the things they have done.” She was nearing the end of her cigarette, craving another one, yet she held herself back, taking one last, generous puff of the nicotine, throwing the stump onto the concrete. She put the lid back on her half-eaten leftovers, placing it back into the plastic bag she brought it in, returning it to the comfort of her backpack.

“Things will fall into place though.” She zipped up her bag, as Jonathan shrugged, wrapping up the other half of his sandwich, “Have you heard anything from your mom? Did she call the office or anything to update you on whether she found Will or not?” He shook his head, placing his food back into his bag, slipping off the hood of the car, dusting off the back of his pants, ridding it of the dust. His mind was clouded by the rampant thoughts of his brother. It was out of the ordinary for Will to not even show up, or leave some sign that he came home, and left early. He was scared, and Mavis could feel it, she knew what it was like to lose someone, but this was different, this was a kid that loved his family, and his house, and the music his brother played. He was harmless, and there was not an ounce of bad in him. There was no way he would change that quickly within the time she saw him and later on that night. 

Mavis would’ve known if he was dead, but she wasn’t able to sense him in this world either, it was like he dropped off of it, yet he was still alive. She knew Jonathan blamed himself, and if Will never came back he wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt, or with Joyce, who utterly adored both of her boys, especially Will. She gave Jonathan’s shoulder a soft pat, and a light squeeze.

“He’ll turn up, I’m sure of it.” Jonathan agreed with her, hoping that she wouldn’t notice how worried he still was, it didn’t work though, but she didn’t want to continue to push him. She held the strap of her backpack, as they began to walk side by side, both of them looking for a way to steer the conversation away from his little brother. 

“You sure you don’t want a ride to the arcade tonight?” She shook her head, looking down at the scuff mark on her boot.

“It’s okay, you should go home and be with your mom. Maybe when I get off I’ll come and check up on you guys. Sound okay to you?” Jonathan forced an understanding smile on his lips, nodding at his friend's considerateness. He could picture how panicked his mother probably was, smoking up a storm, and pacing throughout the living room with her corded wall phone glued to her ear, asking and calling all of Will’s friends' parents. Mavis could see it too, she had known Joyce long enough to recognize her heavily shaken attitude towards anything involving her children.

“That’s a good idea. I think my mom would be very happy to see you.” The duo strutted towards the school. From down the way, Steve stood against the wall, watching the two friends walking silently, bumping shoulders and rubbing their arms together, not paying any attention to it. Just by the sight of Mavis he felt rage boil in his stomach, Steve Harrington was a complicated man child, he was someone who found anger in the crevices, nooks, and crannies of life. He found Mavis Haloma to be one of the more daunting, and intimidating issues, before Nancy, before Jonathan, before the death of her father, and before the one-eighty change that blew through their lives. He clenched his fists at the thought of it, immediately seeking refuge away from the dreaded memories of the old days, which made him recoil, and gag. His chest puffed up, filling with anger, the hatred for her simmering, she made eye contact with him for a millisecond, her forest-green eyes shimmering in the dull sunlight. He tore his sight from her, tuning back into what Tommy and Carol did during the weekend. 

Mavis and Jonathan separated at the door, exchanging quick goodbyes, reassuring that they would see each other tonight. A pain ruptured between her chest suddenly, blood trickling down her stomach, soaking through her striped shirt. Out of instinct, she zipped her windbreaker up, rushing to the washroom, pushing by the masses of students that were pooling in the centre of the hallways. It felt as if the skin was beginning to crack open, twisting, burning, into the indescribable pain that worried her. She took a sharp turn, throwing herself into the floral-scented washroom. A headache rang through her head as she locked the washroom door behind her, dragging herself towards the sink, unzipping her windbreaker, revealing the large bloodstain that made the material of her shirt cling to the wound. Gently she removed her shirt, the bandage hanging off her chest, maneuvering slightly, sliding her arms out, throwing the soaked material into the garbage bin. 

She rushed over to the door, locking it in one swift movement, realizing that anyone could’ve walked in at any moment. The thoughts were rampant, hushed whispers beginning to brew in her ears, returning to the mirror quickly, the blood flowing out onto the pale skin of her stomach, stopping just above the top of her jeans, the gem hanging off her silver chain glowing brightly. She rested her hands on the sink, leaning her weight onto it, the voices becoming louder and louder, feeling her heart beating out of her chest, her body convulsing from the invasion of her senses. It was complete darkness inside her mind, dissociation settling in quickly, her grip tightening on the porcelain, trying to regain some form of control. 

“_Mavis?_” The calling of her name was so soft she could’ve missed it, but the voice was unfamiliar, “_Mavis…P-Please help._” She exhaled shakily, it was him. Her eyes opened immediately, her eyes glowing a bright green, the necklace matching the distinct colour, her lip quivered.

“Will?” A stray tear dripping down her cheek, removing a line of concealer, instantly she wiped it off, her eyes closing again, forcing herself to return to the landscape of darkness in her mind. Her grip tightened even more on the cold sink, her body shaking from the pressure she was placing herself under, the pain racing through every nerve she had left as if she was going to burst a blood vessel or have an aneurysm. 

“Come on…” Her frustration continued to build, a sound of cracking echoing through the bathroom “Fucking work.” She gritted her teeth together, forcing herself to focus harder, pressing her weight onto the sink “WORK GODDAMMIT! WORK!” She screamed, the darkness dragging her deeper and deeper into its depths. The stress had rushed through her like a lightning bolt, the sink cracking in half. A short gasp escaping her mouth, realizing she had lost the ounce of connection that she had made with Will, with one sudden push, and a grunt of frustration, she cracked the porcelain, even more, the bell for the next period ringing throughout the bathroom, her body collapsing onto the ground, a steady stream of tears spilling down her face, not comprehending what was happening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been a while, I'm really sorry about that. I've been trying to work on this story, but it seems like Uni and my other side projects have been intruding quite a bit. Hopefully, you all enjoyed this chapter though!


	4. In The Air Tonight

“Thanks for staying late last night. I hope it didn’t get you into too much trouble with your mom.” Keith said, glancing over at Mavis who was leaning on the front counter of the arcade, watching some of the kids running around to different games, checking their pockets for spare tokens, hopeful looks painted on their youthful faces. She had been spaced out through her entire shift, and even though neither of them were particularly talkative, it seemed out of character for the goth to be so quiet and distracted. Her hands rested on the sides of her cheeks, the whites of her eyes shimmering beneath the dimmed lighting.  
  
“Mavis?" She snapped out of her trance, the sound of her name garnering her attention, a small ‘huh’ escaping her lips as she looked over at her co-worker.  
  
“Are you alright?” Her green irises trailed away from him, thinking about whether or not she wanted to pour her racing thoughts onto an innocent person who had little to no knowledge of the situation at hand. Keith tended to be a fly on a wall, he absorbed the information but never truly used it, most of the time he would just listen and pretend to care, but this time he genuinely seemed worried.  
  
“Yeah, I’m okay…Just thinking I guess.” He raised his eyebrows at her, a concerned look appearing on his face. The two outcasts knew each other from school, once in a while, they exchanged a few words but never got into deep conversations. When the Palace Arcade opened up those few words manifested into a pestering friendship, that only stayed within the confines of the workplace.   
  
With the newfound companionship, he was able to know if she was in a bad mood just by her body language, and judging by the way she was carrying herself today, something must’ve been bothering her, which was out of character. At first, he assumed she was on a drug trip gone horribly, but her pupils weren’t dilated so that idea was phased out. There weren’t any other assumptions he could make, so he decided not to delve deeper into what was truly going on. He casted his eyes out into the lobby of the arcade, huffing lightly as he made his way over to his co-worker, taking up the vacant spot beside her.   
  
“If you want I can close tonight, and you can go home early,” Keith suggested, placing his palms on the counter, his shadow cascading over the girl in an instant, the scent of Cheetos invading her senses. She didn’t like leaving him alone, but at the same time, she wouldn’t be of any use if she was going to be thinking about what she experienced in the girl's washroom that afternoon. It was as if her mind was replaying those screams, over and over again, the cries for help only making her feel pain in her chest. She couldn’t tear herself away from the idea that Will was hurt, or dying somewhere, and she couldn’t dawn on the possibility that she lost the one chance of finding him.  
  
“Are you sure?” She questioned, looking up at Keith, trying to see if he was second-guessing himself. He shrugged.  
  
“I owe you one for yesterday anyway, but don’t think that just because I’m closing by myself tonight means I’ll do it every time,” Keith stated, watching Mavis get up from her hunched position.   
  
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back to normal by my next shift, and I will be sure to bring a bag of puffy Cheetos for you.” Her voice was low, unenergized from the fatigue that was invading her mind, she was overworking her thoughts to the point of tiredness, but she attempted to make light of the situation. Keith smirked, watched her closely, as she left his sight briefly, returning with her windbreaker over her uniform and backpack.  
  
“I’m looking forward to it. See you on Friday.” He commented, seeing the storm brewing outside “Stay dry!” He added, the lightning cascading throughout the sky, the thunder booming through Mavis’ eardrums as she moved past the kids, dodging the ones that ran by her without looking. She shook her head in slight dismay, pushing open the doors, exiting the warmth and comfort of her workplace.   
  
The rain pellets were shards of glass jamming into her skin, falling upon her cheeks, soaking her tangled hair immediately due to the heaviness, and complete exposure. She dashed down the street, cars passing her quickly, puddles misting beneath the tires drenching her in even more water, the headlights of the automobiles shining into her eyes causing them to sting. A gust of wind blew against her, chilling the droplets that laid against her skin, her hands shaking from the sudden fall in temperature. She took a turn, entering the heavily forested area, which was the usual route she took to get to the Byers residence, she found it to be quicker and less chaotic.  
  
Branches snapped beneath her shoes, a pain beginning to reside in the pit of her stomach and between her chest. Worry grew and intermingled with all her other thoughts that were trudging up in her mind, her vision began to blur, and the rain turned into steaming droplets of fire, which made her skin ache.   
  
“Mavis.” The voice was raspy and barely audible. Another rupture of pain ripped through her chest, her knees quaking beneath her feather lightweight, bringing her down, the mud and leaves cushioning her fall. Her ears began to ring, a sonic screech blaring like nails on a chalkboard, her hands shot up to the sides of her head as if it was going to stop the noise, but it only grew in volume. She grasped a handful of leaves and dirt, the veins on her hand pulsing, raising beneath her pale skin which began to turn a deathly grey.   
  
“It’s time to let me back in.” Black dots began to cloud her sight, her eyes closing tightly, “We’re better when we’re together…Now quit fighting me off!” With each word that rang throughout her mind a wave of pain followed. Pushing down the forceful invasion burned her insides, as her throat tightened, causing her to gasp and wheeze for a semblance of air.   
  
“You’re not strong enough to keep me out…You’re weak, and you’ll never win!” The mangled voice screamed, the sentence echoing through her head, burrowing itself in her mind until the black spots disappeared, and the screeching halted, everything around her freezing in one quick snap. Completely disoriented, Mavis leaned back, the shadows of the trees hanging above her, whisking away in the harsh winds that blew past them. The image above her played out, lightning blasting through the sky, the rain soaking into her face, dripping down her neck, and fading into her damp work shirt. Her throat burned, a stream of acidic liquid shooting up into her mouth. She hunched over, her body convulsing as she threw up into the pile of leaves in front of her, the dark, syrupy substance almost blending in with the mud. With the back of her hand, she smeared the remnants off her lips, her eyes glued to what she had just ejected from herself. The night time made it difficult to see, but she could smell the distinct rot that radiated off of it, which only made her back away. Mavis could’ve sat there for hours, just waiting for The Entity to make its triumphant return to the spotlight to invade her body, and mind or try to do so. She was afraid to move out of the spot she had sunken into, the fear eating away at every sense of calmness she had.  
  
Her eyes roamed around the forest, settling on the familiar lighting in the distance. Mavis was close to the Byers house, the only thing she needed to do was get up and run. If she stayed a minute longer it would only increase the risk of another wave overtaking her, and from what she had experienced just moments prior, The Entity wasn’t going down without a fight. She took in a deep breath, quickly pushing herself up from the mud, a shriek of pain falling from her lips. The sores that had laid dormant on the sides of her torso split open almost as easily as tearing paper, excreting a thick puss that trudged down her ribcage, blistering the skin beneath it. She steadied herself on her wobbly legs, leaning against one of the trees, keeping her sight glued to the living room light.   
  
“Get ahold of yourself, Mavis…Get a fucking hold of yourself. It’s only a quick run, and once you’re there you’ll be safe.” She whispered to herself, attempting to calm the racing thoughts, “It’s two minutes…” She mumbled, taking one final breath of cold air, before pushing off the dampened bark of the tree, and rushing through the puddle filled forest. Mud splashed against her jeans, soaking them with dark brown marks, as the light got closer and closer in her field of vision. The pain felt secondary in those moments, like the events that took place minutes prior hadn’t happened, and it was all in her head. She worried that she was losing control of herself after practicing for years. First, there was the attack in the shower, then there was the incident in the school washroom, and now it was her other half appearing after two years of lying dormant, this couldn’t have been some messed up coincidence.

* * *

An array of fast and hard knocks echoed through the Byers's house, making both Joyce and Jonathan jump out of their skin due to the nastiness.

“Must be Mavis,” Jonathan informed, placing one of the photos of Will down onto the living room table, before getting up from his seat on the couch, leaving the warm embrace of his mother. 

“Why didn’t she call us to come get her, it’s pouring buckets out there,” Joyce exclaimed, going over to the washroom to retrieve a few towels, preparing for a drenched Mavis to waltz into the living room ranting about how the weather was.  
  
“My god…You look like a horrible.” Jonathan commented while Joyce returned with the towels, her eyes catching Mavis’ dripping wet hair and the haze of black eyeshadow that smudged just below her waterline that made her look like a raccoon. She continued to look at the young girl, seeing traces of mud stains that had settled into her hands and the knees of her black jeans.   
  
“Did you fall?” She asked, handing Mavis the two towels she had grabbed from the washroom, watching her remove her windbreaker, backpack, and shoes.   
  
“Yeah…It’s pretty slippery out there.” The young girl replied, keeping her eyes averted, as she fluffed her dripping hair, attempting to dry it. The reply seemed out of place for the talkative girl, Joyce was expecting her to drop a few swear words, or at least showcase the marks and complain about how long it would take to get the stains out if it was even possible, but it was like she was distracted by something else entirely. Before she could say anything the phone had rung, immediately garnering her full attention. Both Mavis and Jonathan watched her rush towards the sound, leaving their sight briefly.  
  
“Hello.” Her voice echoed loudly through the house, holding the phone in her hands tightly “Hello?” She repeated once again, looking around at her surroundings, “Lonnie?” The mentioning of her ex-husband's name caught the attention of the teens.   
  
“Dad?” Jonathan questioned, glancing over at Mavis, who looked to be in a catatonic state, her skin a deathly grey.   
  
“Hopper?” Joyce guessed, her quick footsteps padding along the wooden floor, “Who is this?” She asked desperately, her voice filling with frustration from not being provided with an answer.   
  
“Mavis?” Jonathan whispered, placing his hand onto the girl's shoulder, trying to pull her out of her trance. It was as if her mind had tuned into the phone call, but she was on the other side of it, she could hear heavy breathing, yet it sounded inhuman, otherworldly even. Whatever warmth Mavis had slowly drained from her flesh, growing cold in a snap.   
  
“Will?” Joyce’s voice echoed, digging within Mavis’s mind. She could only see darkness in those moments, the noises of undistinguished clattering vibrating through her, “WHO IS THIS?!” Joyce yelled, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BOY?! GIVE ME BACK MY SON!” The call ending with a surge of electricity zapping through the phone, frying the speakers entirely, leaving a burnt residue on the plastic. Joyce’s sobs brought her out of the trance moments later, her inaudible mumblings and cries bringing all the feeling back into her body.  
  
“Mom, who was it? Who was it, mom?” Jonathan repeated, a thunderous roar erupting from outside of the house, as Mavis made her way over towards the sobbing, her eyes settling on the burned phone that hung on the wall.  
  
“It was him!” She wept, trying to reach out to grab the telephone off the hook, only to be stopped by Jonathan, who held her in place.  
  
“Look at me, mom. Was it Will?” He asked yet again. Mavis couldn’t help but watch the situation unfold before her, the chattering sounds replaying in her mind like a broken record.  
  
“Yes!” She replied, continuing to push against her son, attempting to reach for the phone once again.  
  
“What did he say?” Mavis kept looking at the scene playing out before her, a faint pain residing in her chest, her breath getting caught in her throat.  
  
“Wouldn’t now be a good time to tell them what you saw Mavie.” The voice taunted, a shiver hugging every inch of her spine, making her fists clench.  
  
“He just breathed! He just breathed!” Joyce cried, taking the phone off the hook, and placing it against her ear. Mavis reached out, gently removing it from her weak grip, placing it back onto the wall.  
  
“Was someone else there?”  
  
“It was just him.” Mavis murmured under her breath, glancing up at Jonathan, who looked at her with such confusion in his eyes as if he was quietly asking how she knew.  
  
“I know it was his breathing Jonathan, I know it was his breathing.” She sobbed, digging herself into her son's frame, his arms instantly wrapped around her, letting his chin rest on her shoulder.   
  
The guilt immediately settled in at that moment. The sight of watching Joyce cry brought no pleasure to her, and with the newfound information that she had garnered over the day, there was no possible way that she would be able to keep it from her…But what if it held the potential to put other people in danger, that was something that she wanted to prevent.  
  
“I’m sure it was just the weather that interrupted the call…He’s safe Joyce…And he’ll come home.” Mavis reassured, choosing to withhold the information until she was sure that it was accurate, resting her hand on her back, looking up at Jonathan, who was already staring at her.  
  
The three of them stood in front of the phone until Joyce pulled away from the warm embrace of her son, wiping her cheeks off with the back of her hands, her eyes trailing over the soaked clothes that Mavis had been unknowingly shivering in.  
  
“Here, let me go get you some dry clothes.” She mumbled, guiding the dripping wet girl over to the washroom, motioning for her to wait there while she gathered a short-sleeved shirt, and long plaid pyjama bottoms. The shivering girl stood in the middle of the dimly lit bathroom, looking at her reflection in the mirror, noticing a few grey veins crowding on top of the bags just beneath her eyes, the colour of her skin almost a pale blue. Joyce returned quickly, handing her the dry clothes, before closing the door behind her to give Mavis some much-needed privacy. She unbuttoned her jeans, pulling the tight material off of her thin pale legs, while the cold chain of her necklace grazed across her protruding collarbone.  
  
“Don’t you feel any remorse for lying?” The voice whispered, as she gently removed her shirt, letting it join the pile of clothes that began to build on the floor, hissing slightly at the raw skin that stretched with the movement.  
  
“Shut up…” She replied under her breath, turning to the side to look at her reflection, staring at the thick, black, puss that excreted from the bony area of her ribcage.   
  
“Now…Is that any way to talk to a guest?” Mavis opened up one of the cabinets beneath the sink, searching for Joyce’s first aid kit.  
  
“I’m the god damn host…And I’m the one in control…Now shut the hell up.” She responded, clenching her jaw tightly, pulling out a bottle of disinfectant, placing it on the counter, before pushing the rest of the cleaning supplies out of the way, her sight falling upon the kit. Immediately she dragged the box out, keeping her posture straight, making sure to not apply any unnecessary pressure on the pulsating sores that continued to excrete the black, molasses-like liquid. She opened up the metal top, taking out the carefully folded gauze, placing it onto the counter, before collecting a roll of tape and a few safety pins, in case all else failed.  
  
Once she had collected the supplies, her nimble fingers got to work, using the reflection to make sure she wouldn’t miss a spot when cleaning the blistering and discoloured wounds, taking deep, long breaths through the underlying pain. By the time the sore was cleaned off, the white towel had turned a light brown, similar to dried mud stains, which would make it easier for her to pass it off with Joyce. She unwrapped the roll of gauze, eyeing the length before laying one of the ends flat against her stomach, holding it down with one hand as the other guided the stretchy material around her torso, clipping the end with safety pins and tape, just to be sure. Her body shifted, changing her posture so she stood up straight, adjusting the bandage to reduce the number of wrinkles, just to be sure that it wouldn’t show when she had a shirt on. A sharp knock echoed throughout the bathroom, causing her to shoot up into the air, the abruptness of the sound scared her, even though she was in the confines of safety within the Byers home.   
  
“Hey, is it okay if I come in?” She reached behind her, grabbing the spare t-shirt off the shelf, slipping it over her body, collecting the first aid kit quickly, and placing it back under the sink, hiding it behind the cleaning supplies. She glanced around at her surroundings one last time, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary, so she could prevent herself from being questioned by her childhood friend. After she was confident enough that she didn’t miss anything, she let out a small sigh.  
  
“Yeah, the doors open.” She responded, unfolding the pyjama pants, as Jonathan opened the door, and leaned on the frame, watching her struggle to put on the bottoms, noticing a few scratches lining along her legs, automatically assuming that it was from the harsh fall she had taken in the forest. She pulled the baggy material up, tightening the drawstrings, making a double knot so it hung securely on her bony hips.   
  
“Are you alright?” His question garnered her attention for a split second, her eyes glancing up at him, before returning to the waistband of the pants, fixing her shirt so it covered the loops, retrieving one of the extra towels from the rack.  
  
“I’m fine Jonathan…” She replied quietly, unfolding the thick fabric before dragging it through her hair, fluffing the damp strands until it stopped dripping onto the material of Joyce's red ringer shirt.   
  
“It doesn’t seem like it.” He commented, looking around the washroom a bit, noticing the towel that was crowded with stains. It didn’t look anything like mud…It was too dark to be mud. He thought, returning his eyes back to her, watching her closely.   
  
“Maybe it doesn’t to you, but I can assure you I’m fine.” She insisted, gathering the damp towels up in her arms, attempting to move by him, only to be stopped by his arm popping out in front of her. Her eyes raised to his, the basil green irises shooting daggers, granting him the opportunity to look at the grey and off blue veins that surrounded them. Jonathan knew exactly when she was lying, and the tell was her fidgeting pupils, which twitched and moved rapidly, almost as if they were trying to focus on something else that was in the vicinity, instead of on the person that was questioning her.  
  
“I’m not stupid Mavis, tell me what happened.” She let out a harsh breath of air, which fanned over his face.  
  
“What you want me to say!? I fell in the woods, that’s literally it!” She exclaimed, bending under the outstretched arm, shuffling across the hallway to the laundry room, placing the pile of clothes and towels into one of the empty baskets.   
  
“It sounds like a lie to me.” Jonathan retorted, his eyes following her as she made her way towards his bedroom.   
  
“Believe what you want to believe super sleuth…” She shot back, hearing his footsteps trailing behind her.  
  
“Maybe I will!” He yelled back, the both of them entering his room, pushing the door against the wall to respect the one rule Joyce had instilled when they had started these co-ed sleepovers.   
  
Everything a person needed to know about Jonathan Byers was cooped up inside his room. He was a teenage boy, which was evident by his lack of organization, with a love of music, art, movies and photography. Most of the real estate on his wall was empty apart from the lonesome Evil Dead movie poster, which he had asked Mavis to help him put up, and an R.E.M tour flyer that he had gotten when they were on the hunt for some new records at one of the local shops. Apart from that, the wallpaper was the only thing decorating the environment, it was definitely the opposite of her room, to say the least. His bed was half made, and sunken in the centre like he had been laying on top of the covers for the entire afternoon without getting up. She stepped towards the mattress and pulled down the sheets a bit more, glancing up at Jonathan who had made his way over to his closet, retrieving his sleep attire. The silence was deafening for the both of them, but it was needed so that they could compose their thoughts, and prevent an argument from breaking out. Only their breaths were able to be heard within the space until Jonathan decided to start the reconciliation process.  
  
“You know I care about you, Mavis. We’ve known each other for our entire lives, I would be hurt if I found out that you were keeping a huge secret away from me.” The young girl had felt guilty countless times before this conversation, she had been harbouring a huge part of her life from him, and as much as she wanted to tell her dear friend, the opportunity was never there, and it was never the right time. No matter what he would say about her being able to tell him anything, it never assured her that he wouldn’t freak out, which was another thing that she didn’t want to deal with. All the questions that he would ask, and all the curiosity he would have, just wasn’t something she was eagerly looking forward to. Mavis also had the comforting thought that she would never have to expose her abilities because she would never have to use them, she would just go on her merry way through life, and learn how to control it enough so that it was practically non-existent, at least that’s what was ideal for her.  
  
She slid underneath the crisp sheets, pulling the duvet up to her chest, before settling onto the flimsy pillow that meshed against her shoulders and the back of her neck, providing the bare minimum support for her head. In front of her, she could hear articles of clothing drop to the ground, and another bout of silence overcame the airspace for a minute until she replied.  
  
“I wouldn’t keep anything away from you Jonathan.” The tone was in a hushed whisper, but she knew it was audible enough for him to catch it, as she moved to her side of the bed, hearing his timid footsteps making their way over. The cover was pulled back briefly, before the weight of the bed shifted beneath Jonathan, a light squeak echoing through the room for a moment while he got comfortable. He let out a loud sigh, turning onto his side to face her, watching the young girl staring up at the stuccoed ceiling.  
  
“You promise?” He asked as she turned over to look at him, a faint smile appearing on her lips.  
  
“Of course I do.” She responded. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while! Sorry about the long wait, I've been extremely busy with work. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed this new chapter though! I'm going to attempt to update regularly, but it might not be ideal since my schedule is chaotic, I will try my best!

**Author's Note:**

> Welp. I have started a new story. Hope y'all like the first chapter.


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